The troubled drama was already rescued once from cancellation, and picked up for a fall broadcast after its plans for a spring premiere fell by the wayside. Yet with its September broadcast just over a month away, the drama still doesn’t have a cast after losing most of their original actors. Eep!

Cold weather and production delays pushed back filming this past winter, and with the stars unable to keep their schedules on hold indefinitely, Poseidon slowly began dropping actors: Eric, Kim Kang-woo, Kim Ok-bin, Jeon Hye-bin…

Re-casting has been a tough process; there has been talk of some possible names up for roles, but none have been finalized. One rep with KBS said, “After the drama was given a timeslot on the broadcast schedule, the producers contacted several actors and singers, but with the urgency of the proceedings, it’s not an easy situation.” And with casting in limbo, shooting is impossible.

The timeline is such that even if a cast were to be finalized immediately, the production would be facing mighty tight filming schedules to get everything ready in time. Many trendies do begin filming about a month prior to first airdate, but action dramas like Poseidon require more time for filming in unusual locales and conditions (at sea) and for post-production work.

Another rep said, “Poseidon has gone through a stormy voyage, but following its pickup for the broadcast schedule, it will need to make its premiere no matter what, and currently its feet are being held to the fire. Even if shooting were to commence, it’s uncertain whether it’ll proceed smoothly. The producers and actors will all have to bear a heavy burden.”

Originally intended to be an SBS series, Poseidon was dropped by that broadcaster and then picked up by KBS. It is currently slotted to air on Monday and Tuesdays after Myung-wol the Spy wraps up, which puts its first episode in the first week of September or thereabouts. Why do I feel like that’s an impossibly tall order?